Death of the Dress Code

by Anna Beth Adcock | Feb 26, 2024 | Eat, March 2024

Is wearing casual clothes to fancy establishments the future of fine dining?

True story: A high-profile woman ripped off her jeans and strolled into a swanky NYC restaurant after being told they were not up to dress-code standards. While most of us wouldn’t go that far if we were dress coded at the door, it remains undeniable that outfit decorum dictated by high-end restaurants has shifted in Raleigh—and beyond. Even Boston magazine pointed to this as a 2024 trend to watch. 

Take our city’s storied culinary powerhouse Angus Barn. “In 1970, you couldn’t go to Angus Barn without a jacket and tie on,” reflects a longtime patron of the dining room (note the Turkey Lounge is a whole different animal). “Fine-dining meant fine clothes too. To me, it was like going to church—you had to have on your Sunday best.” 

While the Barn hasn’t required coats in years, that doesn’t mean they dropped a dress code altogether. “The current code is the same as pre-pandemic. It hasn’t changed,” according to Angus Barn, of its ”as nice as you like or business casual” policy. But in a society growing ever more casual, hence the polite reminder on their website that “we are reinstating our dress code.”

But as the Barn holds fast to its dress code, many other establishments are loosening (or lacking) one altogether—or even encouraging diners to come casual. Take stylish longtime Raleigh standout Margaux’s, whose website flat encourages showing up in “your most relaxed outfit.”  

Then there’s quirky “come-as-you-are” Stanbury, purposefully pairing its elevated plates with any kind of attire. “We don’t have a dress code,” says owner Joseph Jeffers of the approachable environs. “It’s more eclectic and what people are comfortable in—we might have a table of people in tuxedos with someone in jean shorts at the table beside them. We like for it to be something for everybody and want people to be able to drop in on a whim.” 

But it goes beyond your clothing. In a society seeking to fit in, the debate is also about assimilating with other diners. “There’s a desire to fit in [when dining out]—but you don’t want to feel overdressed either,” shares one seasoned diner. “If I was at East End Bistrot or somewhere similar and saw someone wearing gym clothes, I might wonder what they were doing there—but it wouldn’t affect my experience.” 

That said, East End Bistrot’s executive chef William D’Auvray notes the establishment doesn’t dictate a dress code on purpose. “We like for people to come in what they deem appropriate,” he says. “If people ask, we say business casual to let them know a coat and tie are not required. Ultimately, it’s about the experience—being offended by what someone else is wearing is archaic to me.”

In querying dozens of Raleigh diners, the take is divided. Many applaud the evolution toward casual clothing: “Dress codes are antiquated and only end up confusing or excluding people,” says one local diner. “You shouldn’t have to wear a suit and tie to get a great meal.”

But there are dissenters who prefer they—and those around them—fit the vibe in terms of apparel. “If you’re out for dinner while sitting next to people dripping from the gym, the food doesn’t taste as good,” laments another regular restaurantgoer we spoke to. “You feel like you got ready for a special occasion—and the lazy apparel of others kills that buzz.”

Concurs another: “Others’ dress definitely has an effect on restaurant experience. What you’re wearing should fit the vibe. If the space is elevated, the people who fill the space should also be elevated.” Clearly, dining dress—and expectations—continues to evolve, with perspectives all over the map. Looks like only time will tell what patrons might don for dinner in 2035.